Added warehouse space, plus fencing, lighting and security, as well as curb and gutter and landscaping along the north side of Robinson Street's 2600 block are part of property upgrades being implemented by Cobb Mechanical Contractors in and around its 1.37-acre work yard.
Related upgrades can also be seen in a new rock drainage from the yard east to St. Anthony Street (off 26th Street), explained Cobb spokesperson Bobby Robbins.
Headquartered on the Westside, the 43-year-old, family-owned company provides design, fabrication and shipping of mechanical elements in large commecial projects - including airports, hospitals, universities, military installations and prisons - in six states, including Colorado.
The company employs a total of 300 in all its locations, with about 100 employed on the Westside, according to Robbins.
The new work, started in January and due for completion in April, does not reflect any company expansion, but is basically “property improvements we've anticipated doing for a long time,” he said, and this winter seemed like a good time “while things were slow.”
The security enhancements, including “state of the art” live surveillance monitoring, became necessary because of burglary concerns in the industrial area that Cobb is part of around 31st, Morrison and Robinson streets, Robbins said.

Bunny at chocolate store
Although there will not be an Easter egg hunt this year in Bancroft Park (see story, Page 1), youngsters can find an Easter bunny at the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory store, 2431 W. Colorado Ave., Saturday, March 31 from noon to 4 p.m.
Photos will be welcome, said store owner Mazie Baalman, who had played the bunny at the annual Bancroft hunt for the past several years when it was sponsored by the Old Colorado City Associates business group.

European hiking tours
Tours by Steve LLC is a Westside business through which Steve Balsiger leads hiking tours in Europe.
He and his wife Sara also offer planning and booking services “for people who want to do some of the classic hikes in Europe on a self guided basis,” he said.
Balsiger has been organizing and leading trips for more than 40 years.
For more information, call 633-2761 or e-mail ToursbySteve@gmail.com.

Editor's note: If you know any Westside locations not listed here, or you find that any of this information has changed, please let us know at 471-6776.